the global observing system for climate update

The Global Observing System for Climate

Update

GCOS Secretariat, WMOCarolin Richter, Simon Eggleston, Caterina Tassone, Katy Hill,

Valentin Aich, Tim Oakley

Essential climate variables, indicators and actions in the

2016 GCOS implementation plan to support the Paris Agreement goals

GCOS is a system of systemsIt comprises any data and information on the climate system taken by in situ, airborne or

space-based techniques and platforms, while the ownership of the observing systems and

networks will remain fully with their operating entities.

GCOS Strategy

ensuring the

availability of

observations of the

entire climate system

required by users

Identify Key

Parameters: the ECVs

Support & guide the

development of the

global climate

observing system

Facilitate free and

open access to

climate data

Coordinate with

stakeholders

Communicate

GCOS

What is needed?

ECV Requirements Implementation Plans,

Principles and Guidelines

Who does this?

Space Agencies, NHMSs, Other networks and

research organisations

Where are we now?

adequacy of ECV observations and

evaluation of improvements

How GCOS does this in

practice

Coordination and communication are

ongoing tasks

gcos.wmo.int

GCOS Implementation Plan

@gcos_un

Implementation

Aims

Paris Agreement Article 7 (7c):

Strengthening scientific knowledge on

climate, including research, systemic

observation of the climate system and

early warning systems.

Art 7 (7c)

Art 4 Art 5 Art 7 Art 8 Art 9 Art 10 Art 11 Art 12 Art 13 Art 14

COP22 decided on GCOS (19/CP.22)

Reports on Adequacy

199819981st

200320032nd

20152015Status

SBSTA 43SBSTA 43

GCOS Implementations

20042004IP

20102010

SBSTA 33SBSTA 33

update

20162016new

GCOS Reports and Plans

20162016

New Plan

Status

20152015

Adaptation & Mitigation

I

Water, Energy and Carbon cycles

IIAdditional Essential Climate Variables

III

Emphasis on more help for networks in developing countries

IV

Adaptation, mitigation and climate indicators

Wide scale monitoring of lightning is now possible and a proxy for severe weather events

Monitoring of ecosystems is important for adaption (coastal protection, fisheries and biodiversity) as well as understanding changes in the carbon cycle.

Boundaries between domains can be important e.g. TOPC – OOPC around carbon, water flows and nutrients

Regional distribution of many ECVs:

Satellites + ground stations = global picture

Panels are not limited to actions in the new Implementation Plan but should consider relevant

new developments SOURCE: Imas/Clive

McMahon/EPA

Global

Climate Cycles

Energy

Water Carbon

Albedo,Latent and

Sensible Heat

fluxes, Land Surface

Temperature

Soil Moisture,River ischarge,

Lakes, Groundwater, Cryosphere, Water use

Soil Carbon,Above-ground Biomass, Fire,

GHG Fluxes

Radiation Budgets,

Temperature Wind speed &

direction

Ocean Surface Heat Flux, Sea

Surface & Subsurface

Temperature,

Precipitation, Cloud

Properties,Water Vapour

Surface Temperature

Sea Surface & Subsurface

Salinity, Sea Level,

Sea Surface Temperature

Carbon Dioxide,Methane

Inorganic

Carbon

Sea Level RiseFisheries

DeforestationMitigationEcosystem Loss

TemperatureHeat waves

Coral Bleaching Agriculture

Human HealthFloods

DroughtsWater Resources

Storms

Ocean Acidification

Systemic RisksSecurity

Slow Economic Development

Climate Indicators

Topic Headline Indicator

Temperature and Energy Global surface temperature

Atmospheric composition Atmospheric CO2 (ppm)

Oceans Sea Level Rise

Cryosphere Sea Ice Extent

Area of land covered by snow and Ice

Land use/ vegetation Deforestation (area per year)

Extremes Heatwaves

Extreme Rainfall

Drought

GCOS Cooperation Mechanism

Current Planning

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Adaptation Workshop 5

Plan Regional Workshops 5 5 5

Hold Regional Workshops 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

New Strategy & Communication Plan 4 4 4 3

Indicators 4 4 3

Uppdate 2016 Implementation Plan 4 4 4 4 3

Publish Updated Implementation Plan 3

Steering Committee 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Panel Meetings 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Review of adequacy of ECV observations 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Review of ECV Requirements 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Monitor progress on IP actions 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

GC

OS

PA

NE

LS

20232017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

ECV Adequacy Review - AOPC

Essential Climate Variables (ECVs)WMO CEOS &

CGMS1 OtherProgrammes Co-sponsored

Atm

osp

he

ric

Surface:

Wind speed and direction, precipitation, WIGOS WGClimate

Air temperature, water vapour, pressure, surface

radiation budgetWIGOS

Upper-air:

Lightning WIGOS

Temperature, wind speed and direction, water vapour,

cloud properties, Earth radiation budgetWIGOS WGClimate

Composition

Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), other long-lived

greenhouse gases, ozone, aerosol, precursors for

aerosol and ozone

GAW WGClimate

Panels should ensure all ECV Products have a group checking how well the observations meet the ECV Product

requirements and consider the results of these reviews

ECV Adequacy Review - TOPC



Terr

est

ria

l

Hydrology:

River discharge, groundwater, soil moisture WHYCOS GTN-H

Lakes WHYCOS HYDROLARE WGClimate

Cryosphere:

Snow, glaciers, ice sheets and ice shelves, GCW WGClimate

PermafrostGCW

GTN-G,

GTN-P

Biosphere:

Albedo, land cover, fraction of absorbed photosynthetically

active radiation, leaf area index, above-ground biomass,

fire, land-surface temperature, soil carbon,

BSRN WGClimateFluxNet,

Others

Human use of natural resources:

Water use, AQUASTAT

GHG fluxes GAW WGClimate TBD, GCP



ECV Adequacy Review - OOPC



Oce

an

ic

Physics:

Subsurface temperature, subsurface salinity,

Subsurface currents, ocean surface stress,

ocean-surface heat flux

GOOS/JCOMM

Sea-surface temperature, surface currents, sea-

surface salinity, sea level, sea state, sea iceGOOS/JCOMM WGClimate

Biogeochemistry:

Inorganic carbon, oxygen, nutrients, transient

tracers, nitrous oxide (N2O), ocean colourGOOS IOCCP

GOOS WGClimate IOCCG

Biology/ecosystems:

Plankton, marine habitat properties GOOS GEOBON



Role of Science Panels• Main Objectives:1. Assessing the current state of the global observing

system for climate, and identifying its gaps and inadequacies and designs to ensure long-term monitoring;

2. Advocating and promoting the establishment and enhancement of the systems required to provide long-term and consistent data; securing the implementation of designated GCOS networks;

3. Promoting the transfer and accessibility of data to the user community.

4. Identifying measurable key variables that control the physical, biological and chemical processes affecting climate, and are indicators of climate change;

5. Coordinating activities with other global observing systems, panels and task groups to ensure the consistency of requirements with overall programmes.

• Responsible for overseeing “their” actions

• Panels have flexibility in how to do this BUT there should be consistency in the outputs and timeline

Key Science Panel Activities

2: Requirements

Routinely maintain, review and revise list of ECV product requirements (G10)

• 3-year process (to be ready for update of Implementation Plan)

• Extensive public consultation and review

• Links to adaptation and mitigation needs and regional activities

1: Adequacy

Review adequacy and availability of ECV monitoring (G11,12 &13)

• Use existing systems where they are available

• Need an annual process• Need to involve other

actors• CEOS/CGMS WGClimate

is doing this for satellite data records

• ECV Inventory• May need to consider

capacity development needs

3: Progress

Monitor progress on implementing actions in Implementation Plan

• An annual process for the panel

• Need to allocate responsibilities for each ECV

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Panel Meetings 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Steering Committee 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Uppdate new Implementation Plan 4 4 4 5 4

Publish Updated Implementation Plan 3

Invite suggestions & comments on requirements 2 5 5

Panels to consider and prepare proposals 2 2 2

Agree Proposals 2

Public Review of requirements 5 5

Revised Requirements 2 2

SecondPublic Review 5 5

20232017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Timeline

GCOS Steering Committee

GCOS Steering Committee

Chair: Prof Stephen Briggs

Atmospheric Observation Panel For Climate (AOPC)

Atmospheric Observation Panel For Climate (AOPC)

Chair: Dr Kenneth Holmund

Deputy Chair: Prof Philip Jones

Secretariat: Dr Caterina Tassone

Ocean Observation Panel For Climate

(OOPC)

Ocean Observation Panel For Climate

(OOPC)

Co-Chair: Dr Bernadette Sloyan

Co-Chair: Prof John Wilkin

Secretariat: Dr Katy Hill

Terrestrial Observation Panel For Climate (TOPC)

Terrestrial Observation Panel For Climate (TOPC)

Chair: Prof Wolfgang Wagner

Secretariat: Dr Simon Eggleston



Network Manager: Tim Oakley

GCOS SecretariatGCOS Secretariat

Director: Dr Carolin Richter

JPO: Dr Valentin Aich

Assistant: Magaly Robbez

The Global Observing System for Climate

Thank you

gcos.wmo.int

the global observing system for climate update

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